The cervical spine is also surrounded by a thick, tangled web of nerves. In general, those nerves are amazingly difficult to irritate, much harder than people think, but it’s not impossible. Many sharp and shooting neck pains are probably caused by minor neuropathy (pain from nerve irritation) that will ease gradually over several days or a few weeks at the worst, like a bruise healing. It’s unpleasant, but not actually scary, like banging your funny bone (ulnar nerve): that thing can really take a licking and keep on ticking. So can the nerves in your neck.
I am a science writer, former massage therapist, and I was the assistant editor at ScienceBasedMedicine.org for several years. I have had my share of injuries and pain challenges as a runner and ultimate player. My wife and I live in downtown Vancouver, Canada. See my full bio and qualifications, or my blog, Writerly. You might run into me on Facebook or Twitter.

Dr. V.J. Maddio is a Helena native. He attended Montana Statev1173c.jpg University on a wrestling scholarship and studied five years of Associated Sciences with an emphasis in Exercise/Physiology and Sports Medicine. He graduated with his degree in chiropractic from Northwestern College of Health Sciences in Bloomington, MN. Dr. Maddio began his own practice in Helena, Montana in January of 1992. He and his wife, Maureen, have enjoyed raising their 3 children in the Helena community. He is involved in several community activities ranging from youth sports to service organizations. Dr. Maddio is certified in Active Release Technique (ART), is a Certified Impairment Evaluator in the State of Montana, currently serves on the the Board of Chiropractors for the State of Montana, and is past President of the Montana Chiropractic Association.

There are many benefits of seeing a chiropractor – both well-known and surprising. When most people think of chiropractic care, the spine comes to mind. While it is true that chiropractic care focuses on the spine to promote health, alleviate pain, and achieve balance, when performed by a certified practitioner chiropractic care can also help your skeletal, muscular, digestive, and nervous systems function in harmony. It can also treat many neurological disorders including ADHD, as well as relieve mental stress, pressure headaches, and symptoms associated with PMS and asthma.

Two sleeping positions are easiest on the neck: on your side or on your back. If you sleep on your back, choose a rounded pillow to support the natural curve of your neck, with a flatter pillow cushioning your head. This can be achieved by tucking a small neck roll into the pillowcase of a flatter, softer pillow, or by using a special pillow that has a built-in neck support with an indentation for the head to rest in. Here are some additional tips for side- and back-sleepers:

Dr. Grotzinger completed his pre-med at Drake university in Des Moines with a 4.0 GPA in 1976. He graduated from Palmer Chiropractic, Magna Cum Laude in 1981 having worked nights and fathering three children in the process. Since then he has worked both in solo practice and a number of multi-doctor clinics, gaining a wide variety of experience and proficiency. He prides himself on being an effective chiropractor who has balanced the ways of the old time chiropractors with today's emphasis on patient comfort.

There is a wide range of ways to measure treatment outcomes.[91] Chiropractic care, like all medical treatment, benefits from the placebo response.[92] It is difficult to construct a trustworthy placebo for clinical trials of spinal manipulative therapy (SMT), as experts often disagree about whether a proposed placebo actually has no effect.[93] The efficacy of maintenance care in chiropractic is unknown.[12]

The chiropractic oath is a modern variation of the classical Hippocratic Oath historically taken by physicians and other healthcare professionals swearing to practice their professions ethically.[190] The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) has an ethical code "based upon the acknowledgement that the social contract dictates the profession's responsibilities to the patient, the public, and the profession; and upholds the fundamental principle that the paramount purpose of the chiropractic doctor's professional services shall be to benefit the patient."[191] The International Chiropractor's Association (ICA) also has a set of professional canons.[192]
Requirements vary between countries. In the U.S. chiropractors obtain a first professional degree in the field of chiropractic.[164] Chiropractic education in the U.S. have been criticized for failing to meet generally accepted standards of evidence-based medicine.[165] The curriculum content of North American chiropractic and medical colleges with regard to basic and clinical sciences has been more similar than not, both in the kinds of subjects offered and in the time assigned to each subject.[166] Accredited chiropractic programs in the U.S. require that applicants have 90 semester hours of undergraduate education with a grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Many programs require at least three years of undergraduate education, and more are requiring a bachelor's degree.[167] Canada requires a minimum three years of undergraduate education for applicants, and at least 4200 instructional hours (or the equivalent) of full‐time chiropractic education for matriculation through an accredited chiropractic program.[168] Graduates of the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC) are formally recognized to have at least 7–8 years of university level education.[169][170] The World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines suggest three major full-time educational paths culminating in either a DC, DCM, BSc, or MSc degree. Besides the full-time paths, they also suggest a conversion program for people with other health care education and limited training programs for regions where no legislation governs chiropractic.[46]
Some of the findings from my tests were things that I could fix at home, and others could be helped with hands-on chiropractic care, like an adjustment. In my case, I didn’t have a normal c-shaped curve in my neck. This can be caused by minor whiplash, sports injuries or even sitting forward all day (I spend a lot of time at work staring at a screen). The chiropractor recommended at-home care in the way of a rolled up towel or ergonomic pillow. These can help restore the curve in your neck.